German politicians' mobile numbers, credit card details among data stolen in major hack

By Tassilo Hummel

UpdatedJanuary 4, 2019 — 11.38pmfirst published at 9.04pm

Talking points

Data includes addresses, letters, ID card details

Merkel, President Steinmeier among those affected

National cyber defence body meets to coordinate response

Government's secure internal network unaffected

Hackers have posted personal data from hundreds of German politicians from major parties including credit card details and mobile phone numbers, local media have reported.

Germany's BSI national cyber defence body met early on Friday after it received news of the hack, a spokesman said.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel is among the victims of the hack.Credit:AP

Politicians from the far-left Linke party were among those affected, including Dietmar Bartsch, leader of its group in the lower parliamentary house, a spokesman said.

The Rheinische Post newspaper said in its online edition that Chancellor Angela Merkel and President Frank-Walter Steinmeier were also victims of the leaks.

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No sensitive information from Merkel's office was among the personal data of hundreds of German politicians published online, a government spokeswoman said on Friday.

"With regard to the chancellery it seems that, judging by the initial review, no sensitive information and data have been published and this includes [from] the chancellor," the spokeswoman told a news conference.

Public broadcaster ARD reported earlier that the data, from hundreds of politicians and published on a Twitter account, included addresses, personal letters and copies of identity cards, citing affiliate rbb.

All major German parties except for the far-right AfD were affected. The identity of the hackers and their motive were not known, the report said.

Bild newspaper said the secure internal network of Germany's government was not hit by the hackers, citing sources inside the BSI.

A BSI spokesman said the national cyber defence body met to coordinate the response of federal government agencies including the domestic and foreign intelligence agencies.

The cyber body began meeting "as soon as were aware of this - so since this morning", the spokesman said, without giving any details about the extent of the hack.

ARD said that, after a first review of the data, journalists had not detected any incriminating content.